**NEW QUESTION PG. 12** Autism: Yes, you may ask my opinion!

[Jena]

I have read through this thread and tried very hard not comment.

But I have failed.

I want to ask a question and then tell you a story, I will try to make it short, but would like your opinion.

The question is do you think that HFA could come about as a result of environmental causes? lol....No, I am not talking about global warming or anything, but about isolation in childhood.

I had never heard of autism or the autistic spectrum when growing up. But I am a difficult person, I do know that, and it has been painful not being understood.

I grew up living in the countryside, and apart from my mother, and occasionally my father whoworked away a lot, I was very solitary.

I recited poetry at 3 years old, and at 4 I had to go to school. We had moved then to a populated area and I had problems making friends.

before this my play buddies had been chickens and ducks and lambs, and my pet border collie. I was not keen on children.

I grew up, not doing well in school although I was clever, I just didn't fit in. I liked long clothes instead of short, and I saw no need for drugs, when I could comtemplate a flower or a sky or an animal.

I worked, and had little choice, I was told to get to work, and I went, I did accounts and gravitated to Accountancy and credit control, mainly because I would search through mountains of documents until I had all the answers and could put things right. I left the business world aged 43 because I did not like the way thigns were going. there was no commitment to good practice any more, it was all about the bottom line, no real customer service as long as you were fleecing them.

I went to work in a nursing home with elderly and terminally ill people and studied during the day.

I gained a degree and a PGCE teaching qualification, but still I do not fit in. I am fine out in fields with a group of archaeologists, or in the library researching history.

But I have worked as an advocate supporting asylum seekers and refugees and finally disabled people. I worked in 2 ways, dealignwith my clients and their needs and also dealing with politicians and service providers to change the "system".

Sorry this is long you will see why.

Then I met my sister. We had grown up apart and are half sisters sharing a dad. We are now very close as all the parents and adopted parents are gone.

She has a son who is diagnosed as having Asperger's syndrome, and it has caused a lot of problems with her partner.

In order to help them out at one time I took along a standard diagnostic test for Autism, as I had told my sister that I felt it was not her son that had the problem it was in fact her husband. Inorder to alay his fears I did the test first, surprisingly I had a very high score, her son scored way down the list, and she was about half way. her husband surpassed my score by 2 points. We were the ones with HFA, not her son.

I had not done the test before, had never seen it, and I was actually quite benused after I had done it. I had instinctively known about the Husband son situation, and have felt the same in many situations in the past. But somehow for myself it was like a lightbulb moment. Ohhh that is why I am odd....

I also have close friends from another culture, India, and they are the only people I have found that really have potential to understand me, my morals, my responses to the world.

Apart from them who I communicate with mainly online, and occasionally when we visit, as they all live in London and India, I am still as solitary as I was aged 3. I have 2 sons but they both admit they have great difficulty in understanding me.

lol... I have even researched my numerology and I am a 7. the person who would still be reading the book while the library burns around them. I have been told I am deep, when I think I am very easy and simple to understand.


I do puzzles... love puzzles like sudoku, Mah Jong, and number puzzles, where you have to work out the letters that relate to the numbers. I am well into patterns and I knit complex designs.

I also have OCD, even about the order in which I eat my food, get dressed, and work. I was told oncethat I looked shifty because I did not make eye contact, by a close associate I may say, so I practiced and started looking people in the eye and was then told I was scary.

I just can't work people out at all I do not get the signals.

I am so sorry this is long, butwouldlike you opinions everyone.

I do have a high IQ, and I study everything, absolutely everything.

I sometimes wonder if it could be due to my isolation as a child. Autism was not known then, they only discovered plate techtonics when I was in Grammar School.

 

[Wifezilla]

The question is do you think that HFA could come about as a result of environmental causes?

There may be environmental triggers, but I firmly believe autism comes about when the mother's body has an insufficient supply of vitamin D. This effects fetal brain growth.

I also have close friends from another culture, India, and they are the only people I have found that really have potential to understand me, my morals, my responses to the world.

Just a thought on this...

Many countries have VERY SPECIFIC rules of behavior and very well defined social strata and expectations of people in any given situation. I believe this structure is why many on the spectrum have an easier time dealing with other cultures. It also explains the entire SCA* http://www.sca.org/

(Yes, my HFA friend is in the SCA...LOL)​

 

[ursusarctosana]

Quote:
Hello.

I personally do not follow any idea that autism is caused by environmental factors (i.e. how someone is raised). I believe it is a number of unrelated genes that contribute to the disorder/difference/syndrome or whatever we may choose to know or call it. However, it is possible, I think, that some environmental factors (other than parenting, like pesticides, perhaps) may contribute when considering the biological development of a fetus in the womb.

I do believe that isolation in childhood can make a difference in how anyone grows up and views/copes with the world. I still think we all are so unique that it is impossible to tell what the outcome behaviors will result in different people when they are subjected to isolation/immersion. Forcing one person to be social may make their anxiety/depression much worse and they may commit suicide and then its ALL over. A person can only try so much and everyone has a breaking point, though not everyone is willing to admit it.

The AS Quotient, probably the test you took, is interesting. My son, too, scores lower on some factors of that test. His empathy factor is within the neurotypical range while mine is a 7, which is extreme even for a person who has autism. That's why diagnosis cannot be determined based on something as simple as the AS Quotient, even though it is a good start. I find that the questions are difficult to interpret because they are not always precise.

For example the question about imaginative play. It depends on what is meant by "imaginative play." Yes, I played with other children, but did I really play "with" them? It seemed like it from my perspective, but to them I was treating them like another object that was part of my play. They had to do what I wanted them to do, play with the toys I wanted them to play with, play the games I wanted to play. That's not really playing. That's treating other kids as if they are puppets. So, some of those questions may have to be explored much deeper. Tests like those are just basic measuring devices, perhaps to see if it is worth exploring the symptoms further. However, such a test can be dangerous in some ways because, for example, my son and I have been tested extensively, yet my son may have taken the AS Quotient and if the psychiatrist based his/her findings on the ASQ alone (which would be very unprofessional anyway) then it may have been wrongfully concluded that he just has depression and some symptoms of OCD or something.

Autism is characterized by differences in cognition which is caused by neurological structure. The neurological structure has to do with the functioning/wiring/structure of the human brain. It can also include other motor skills quirks that are related to neurology--after all it is also the nervous system. That may explain why the "fight or flight" system of a person with autism is hypersensitive and why someone with autism may not be able to tolerate certain conditions.

Yet, Sensory Integration Dysfunction is separate from autism. One does not have to have both. Sensory Integration Dysfunction is a bizarre situation because light touch may cause a person pain while deep pressure does not. I am notorious for hurting myself severely and not noticing until much later. At the same time I visit the doctor when nothing much is wrong because I can't pinpoint where my sources of pain originate.

But, more painful than anything in the physical world is the times when something upsets the structure of my world. There is nothing more painful (physically) than the emotional pain involved when things do not go according to plan.

Btw, do you have OCD the anxiety disorder, or OCD the personality disorder?

 

[ursusarctosana]

Also, Jena, posting here is definitely not a failure--not in my opinion. Please do not feel bad. There is nothing to feel bad about. How else are we supposed to figure things out in life if we do not seek out information or give information? We cannot always tip-toe around society's rules, etc.

No matter what, I can't give up my staunch support of "information is most important".

 

[amyquilt]

Quote:

 

[okiemommy]

I've been reading along but haven't had much to say because most of it's already been said. Good info btw


My son was diagnosed with mild to moderate Autism last month. We have known something was wrong with him since birth, but at around 12 months his symptoms became much worse. His twin is in the process of being tested for it now. DD Has sensory issues, and I would be willing to bet that my oldest has Aspergers, but we haven't had him tested yet. He has been diagnosed with ADHD.

As we have been researching this "disorder" for the past several months, we have learned a lot. Through this research the I am almost certain that both me and my father are on the Autism Spectrum. It's not a few things here and there that would make me think that. It is an overwhelmingly large amount of symptoms, quirks, mannerisms, life experiences, etc that lead me to believe this. The only difference is that I have not been formally diagnosed yet.

I wanted to address two things:

First, I feel especially in my own circumstances, that it is better to have a diagnosis, than to go through life wondering why in the world everyone else gets things, but I don't. It's a terribly confusing way to live, and the rammifications of "not getting it when everyone else does" are more than just not getting it. There can be a lot of shame and stigma attached to living life in a bubble of misunderstanding or just plain not getting social situations. It definitely was like that for me, and now that I know what is going on with me, I have measures that I can take to make life better. I have tools to use, to navigate social sitations, and in the times when I can't figure out what's going on, I don't feel ashamed because I know why I don't get it.

I do understand the apprehension in getting tested or having children tested, but I feel in this situation knowledge is definitely power. I know it will help my children in the long run, because I have experienced the exact confusing, debilitating opposite. Unfortunately our culture needs a diagnosis for validity. (mainly speaking of organizations and professionals here) And having the diagnosis assists in functioning in that perameter(sp?) which is basically at least the United States.

Second thing: There have been studies done on the question of whether or not isolation and neglect result in Autism, and the studies found that Autism occurs across the board. It does not only happen to children that are neglected and often occurs in children that are in very loving nuturing homes. My children aren't neglected, and they have it. Though I'm not offended by that question at all b/c I have asked the same thing myself when I first began to learn of all this stuff, because I was neglected and my mother was not very nurturing.

Anyway hope this helps someone

 

[Wifezilla]

Okiemom...have you had your son's vitamin D levels tested?

If I knew what I know now, I would have put my son on D3 and fish oil right away.

 

[okiemommy]

Okiemom...have you had your son's vitamin D levels tested?

If I knew what I know now, I would have put my son on D3 and fish oil right away.

no I haven't....but I am open to it, if I think it will help. Our doctor is pretty homeopathic(is that the right word for it?) than most any doctor that I have ever met, so I will ask him about it. Even if he is not convinced it will help, he will be open to it, if there are no possible adverse reactions to it.

Is this Vitamin D deficiency something that people feel is a problem with absorption or is it that they are not getting enough. He has been a milk addict ever since he was old enough to be on milk....

ETA: if you post a link for a study please try to post one that's not terribly long.

I have a hard time staying attentive long enough to read the long wordy ones I have ADD also.​

 

[Momma_Cluck]

IMO---Having a diagnosis IS important.. for many reasons-

1-- you/your child aren't crazy, this proves it. It is a disorder... not a stigma.

2--For you and your child, this proves it isn't your fault, you aren't doing something wrong AND it points you in the right direction to research and information to educate you on the subject, so you can - or can help your child- live with & adapt to this disorder

3--Also for your child, you now are armed with ammo for the school system. My son (high functioning) has NEVER stepped foot in "special ed"... he has what is called an IEP and it gives the parent the power to educate the teachers on the special needs or adaptations for their child--- also- with an IEP- you get trained/licensed advocates from the ISD and Community Mental health.

4-- Arms you with the info needed to research treatment options... it isn't always an option for meds-- some Aspies have severe chemical sensitivities.
But there is behavior modification, stimuli desensitization, herbs, acupuncture, meditation..and yes-- for some-- medication.

Know what is right for YOU/Your Child-- and do NOT let others who are not trained to do so tell you how to what treatments to use/avoid due to what THEY use, since EVERY Aspie is different!

Knowing that you or someone you love is Autistic is not a Stigma, nor is it an excuse--- if correctly diagnosed, it is simply a fact that you need to face, learn how to cope with, and then despite it-enjoy life!

 

[Wifezilla]

Is this Vitamin D deficiency something that people feel is a problem with absorption or is it that they are not getting enough. He has been a milk addict ever since he was old enough to be on milk

The amount is milk is pathetic. If he isn't getting full sun exposure without sun screen several times a week, he isn't getting enough.

Absorption could also be an issue. Many autistics have problems with their gut.

"Six years ago, Professor John McGrath and his colleagues at the University of Queensland in Australia, pointed out that vitamin D, "the neglected neurosteroid," was crucial for proper brain development. In the same paper, they reported that activated vitamin D increases nerve growth factor in the brain and the vitamin D receptor appears in a wide variety of brain tissue quite early in the development of the baby. These two facts alone led them to conclude that vitamin D deficiency "should be examined in more detail as a candidate risk factor for neurodevelopmental...disorders." McGrath J, Feron F, Eyles D, Mackay-Sim A. Vitamin D: the neglected neurosteroid? Trends Neurosci. 2001 Oct;24(10):570–2.

In 2006, Dr. Alan Kalueff and his colleagues went further, suggesting vitamin D offers "neuroprotection, possible interplay with several brain neurotransmitter system and hormones, as well as regulation of behaviors." In 2007, Dr. Kalueff, now at the National Institutes of Mental Health, reviewed the nootropic (brain-enhancing) properties of vitamin D in even more detail and concluded that the scientific data stress the importance of the mother having enough vitamin D while she is pregnant and the child having enough vitamin D after birth for "normal brain functioning." There is no doubt vitamin D affects the brain, and does so profoundly. Kalueff AV, et al. The vitamin D neuroendocrine system as a target for novel neurotropic drugs. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2006 Jun;5(3):363–71. Kalueff AV, Tuohimaa P. Neurosteroid hormone vitamin D and its utility in clinical nutrition. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2007 Jan;10(1):12–9.
Predisposition - What Gene Should We Be Looking For?

Given what we know about neurosteroids, in our search for the genetics of autism it is reasonable to search for a gene which:

* is environmentally responsive.
* codes for a systemic steroid that is also a potent neurosteroid.
* profoundly affects brain development
* has had its levels decrease over the same time that autism has increased.
* is affected differently by estrogen and testosterone.
* has levels that are much lower in blacks than in whites.
* explains all the bizarre epidemiology of autism.

A tall order indeed.
Two clues: rare genetic malformations of the vitamin D system

An inborn error of metabolism that causes a rare form of rickets, pseudo-vitamin D deficiency rickets, involves the defective manufacture of activated vitamin D. While no one has assessed afflicted children for signs of autism, these children clearly display autistic markers such as hypotonia (flabby muscles), decreased activity, developmental motor delay, listlessness, and failure to thrive.

Much more interesting is the fact that children with Williams Syndrome (rare congenital disorder due to a missing piece of chromosome seven) often have greatly elevated activated vitamin D levels for several months in early life. They usually present in later life with remarkable sociability, overfriendliness, empathy, and willingness to initiate social interaction—strikingly the opposite personality of autistic children. Knudtzon J, Aksnes L, Akslen LA, Aarskog D. Elevated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and normocalcaemia in presumed familial Williams syndrome. Clin Genet. 1987 Dec;32(6):369–74. Mervis CB, Klein-Tasman BP. Williams syndrome: cognition, personality, and adaptive behavior. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2000;6(2):148–58.

So, abnormally-low activated vitamin D levels produce infants with symptoms of autism while abnormally-high levels produce children with personalities the exact opposite of autism.
What is the role of the vitamin D receptor in autism?

Variations in the DNA sequence of vitamin D receptor are common and called vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms (many-shaped receptors). No one has studied them in autism, but a highly significant association exists between one VDR polymorphism and larger head size. Larger head sizes are common in autism, especially in childhood."
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health/autism/vit-D-connection.shtml​